DA expands P20 rice program to cover minimum wage earners

The Department of Agriculture is set to widen the reach of its P20 rice initiative by including minimum wage earners in the program’s ongoing pilot run.

This development came after Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma met on Tuesday to finalize plans for the expansion.

During the meeting at the DA central office in Quezon City, Secretary Laguesma thanked DA for supporting his proposal to make affordable rice accessible to low-income workers. Both officials expressed optimism that the collaboration between their agencies would improve the lives of everyday Filipinos, particularly those struggling with the rising cost of living.

“We had a very good and fruitful discussion in our shared goal of helping our workers, particularly minimum wage earners,” Laguesma said. 

“By including them in this rice program, we aim to improve their purchasing power. We are looking forward to a very successful implementation of this convergence between the DA and DOLE.”

Tiu Laurel reaffirmed the DA’s commitment to the President’s vision, stressing that close coordination among agencies is key to delivering meaningful social support.

“This initiative stems from the President’s promise to extend the P20 rice program to those who need it most,” Tiu Laurel said. 

“For now, participation is limited to workers from companies that have expressed interest in joining the pilot program.”

The DA expects that qualified employees from participating companies will begin receiving P20-per-kilo rice as early as next month.

Beyond easing food expenses for low-income workers, the program is designed to strengthen local agriculture. It enables the National Food Authority (NFA) to buy more palay from farmers at prices ranging from P18 to P24 per kilo – well above their production cost of P12 to P14 per kilo – ensuring a fair return for their efforts.